


Virtue and Vice

by firelord_zutara



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, BAMF Tony Stark, Fantasy, M/M, Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Prince Tony Stark, Princes & Princesses, Romance, Royalty, Swords & Sorcery, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 22:37:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7732438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firelord_zutara/pseuds/firelord_zutara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a twist of fate, Steve pulls a sword out of a stone, becomes taller, stronger, and broader, and now Prince Anthony is saying that he's the Legendary Hero who is destined to save the world.  So there's that.  </p>
<p>Basically a Legend of Zelda inspired royalty AU.  No background knowledge in Zelda is required to understand this fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Virtue and Vice

Steve awoke that day how he awoke every day--with Bucky whacking him across the face with an overstuffed pillow. 

“C’mon, Stevie. May needs us to heard those damn sheep.”

Steve grumbled, shoving Bucky away from him as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight seeping into the room. The other man had a good 70 pounds on him, but he moved away from the bed and out of Steve’s face, holding his hands up in defense. 

“Hey, don’t blame me, I’ve been on Aunt May’s bad side too many times, and we both know how unpleasant _that_ is.”

Bucky was right. Aunt May (not Bucky nor Steve’s actual aunt, but she refused to be called Mrs Parker), was a sweet, older lady, but her glares were essentially daggers to the heart, and made you feel twice as worse than if you’d actually been stabbed. She was not a women you wanted to double cross. 

Steve began shrugging into his clothes, and Bucky moved towards the other side of their small, shared bedroom to do the same. They were worn out and threadbare, but to his dismay, Steve hadn’t grown in the past 3 years or so, which gave him no real reason to waste his resources to make new ones.

Bucky, on the other hand, had grown substantially, both taller and broader. He’d teased Steve about it, how he’d eventually grow hit that growth spurt, that he was really just a late bloomer. They both knew, of course, that it was because of Steve’s damned immune system--constantly failing on him and taxing his body--that he wasn’t able to grow into himself. Or, well, the himself he wanted to be. Needed to be. 

He was able to help out the village, of course, just in different ways than Bucky did. Herding sheep, however, was something he could do, and could do well. He was an avid horse rider, and prided himself on his ability to work with animals. Bucky was good at it too, of course, but this was one of the few things that Steve had him beat. 

Once dressed and outside their shack of a house, Steve was greeted by Epona, his horse. She trotted up to him, nuzzling into his face.

He chucked. “I know girl, you ready for some work today?” The horse whinnied, and Steve couldn’t help but grin. Bucky rolled his eyes, straddling his own horse. 

“You gonna stand there making googly eyes at your horse, or help me heard?” 

Steve smirked, shoving his feet into the stirrups as he steadied his small frame atop Epona. “I think it’s you who needs my help, Buck, at least I don’t go screaming for my Ma when the sheep come charging at me.” Steve kicked into his horse, and they galloped off into the heart of the village, Bucky chasing after him, screaming things along the lines of _that was ten years ago_ and it was _one fucking time, alright?_

It was early, the sun slowly making it’s way over the horizon, but the village was alive and well. Aunt May and her actual nephew, Peter, were gathering water from the well; Mary Jane was tending to the crops with her parents. Others were milling about as they took care of their morning chores, talking, laughing, smiling.

“Ben’s waiting for the two of you up at the ranch!” Aunt May called as he and Bucky trotted past. Steve nodded in affirmative, guiding his horse up the small hill leading towards the enclosure. 

Once there, they spotted Uncle Ben waiting by the gait, a small smile curled across his face. “Thanks so much, I’d do it myself, y’know, but my back won’t stand for it.”

“It’s not a problem,” Steve answered honestly, with a smile of his own. He liked doing this, he liked being of use, despite his small stature and weak frame. 

Bucky just nodded, trotting his horse into the gate as Uncle Ben opened it up for them. “If I catch more than you, I get your bed for a week.”

Steve laughed, already herding his first two sheep into the barn. “There’s no way I’m going to be stuck with your lumpy bed for that long.” 

So they galloped and trotted, ushering the frantic sheep as they did. There were only three more left and Steve was hot on their trail when he called out to Bucky, “Looks like I get to keep my bed, unless you can manage--”

A scream. 

Steve pulled harshly on his reins, forcing his mare to a halt as he turned towards the source of the noise. His jaw gaped in horror at the sight, muscles seizing as he stared in disbelief. 

Out of the forest surrounding the ranch came a figure atop a sleek black steed, the man himself cloaked in green. His garments billowed around him, and behind him followed a trail of bright, blazing flames, scorching the woods as he galloped. He hopped over the fence with impossible grace, staring straight at Steve but riding towards his best friend.

His best friend. Bucky. _Bucky._

“No!” Steve shrieked, arms reaching out in vain as the man caught up to Bucky, who had tried to make his escape too little too late, having been paralyzed in his own fright. With strength only to be matched by the goddesses, he scooped Bucky up, throwing him over his shoulder and making a break for the village.

_No no no no no no no no no_

Without thinking, without hesitating, Steve kicked into his horse, chasing after the man. He could hear Uncle Ben screaming after him, telling him not to go, that it was too dangerous, that the legends were true, that the kingdom wasn’t safe anymore. But none of that mattered, nothing mattered, he had to get his friend, save his friend, save the village--

The flames had stopped at the forest, but Steve knew that didn’t mean the village was out of harm's way. A man like that--

If the legends _were_ true--

No. He didn’t have time to think like that. Think _about_ that. He could still see the man, could still see Bucky trying to break free from his iron grip, could hear him _screaming_.

He could hear the people of the village shrieking, could hear Aunt May, Peter, Mary Jane. As he rode through he scanned the area, but he saw no flames, no signs of injury, heard no cries for help other than the blatant shrieks of terror.

His head was pounding, his frail body shaking, his knuckles white from the grip he had on his reigns. His horse was pounding hard, through the village and into the woods. He rode harder, faster, never losing sight on his target. He couldn’t even think about what he’d do when (not if, never if) he caught up to the man. He just knew he had to do something, he had to _try_ , he had to--

Ahead of him, the cloaked man let out a harsh cackle as he rammed straight through the gate, leaving an unharmed horse and shattered wood in their wake. 

At that, Steve almost stopped, almost, because if he’s going through the gate and out of Faron woods, that meant he was on his way towards Hyrule field, which laid way to monsters and creatures Steve had never seen the likes of, only heard the stories from the elders, like Ben and Dr Erskine...

And Steve had no means of defense besides his horse and his weak stature. 

But Steve didn’t have time to think, no, he didn't have that luxury because he was confused out of his goddess-damned mind, but he needed to get to Bucky, needed to needed to needed to--

Mind fueled by pure adrenaline and rage, he followed the man, pulse pounding in his ears as he made his way over the rickety bridge, creaking under the weight of both the men galloping furiously along. 

When they reached a small clearing, however, the man dismounted from his horse, a struggling Bucky still grappled firmly against his shoulder, and with sheer strength and agility Steve had never seen the likes of, began bouncing from one rock to another, nearly gliding up the walls of the clearing and onto the ledge, running further into the forest. 

With significantly less grace, his muscles still stiff and sputtering in shock, Steve nearly fell from his horse, scraping himself against the grainy forest floor. Without hesitation, he gathered himself and began climbing the rocks of the forest ledge. Years of climbing trees for fun with Bucky when they were younger didn’t do much to bulk him up, but it definitely helped him develop some sense of agility to match his light frame. He was able to pull his light body up the rocks, even if it was with a great amount of difficulty. If it weren’t for the pure, harsh anger coursing through his veins, his efforts would most likely have been all for not.

But the man-- _whoever_ he was--had Bucky, and fuck all if Steve wasn’t going to give his damn life to save him. 

He managed to make it to the top, pumping his sore legs along as he raced towards where the man was standing. Standing, not running, as if he was waiting for him…

Steve was already mostly certain this whole thing was a trap when he took Bucky through the village instead of back the way he came, so the confirmed knowledge that this mystery man was purposely letting Steve follow him didn’t slow him down.

Instead he ran faster, faster than he ever knew his thin legs were capable of taking him, straight into the forest.

The forest that Uncle Ben had _warned_ him about, had warned him…

No time for that.

Instead he rushed through the misty woods, dodging vines and tree branches, hopping over rocks and through allies and caves until finally they reached a dead end, Steve finding himself in a circular clearing, tall pines and billowing oaks towering over him, the sunlight seeping through the cracks in the natural canopy.

The man, however, was nowhere to be seen, having seemingly disappeared before Steve’s eyes. What Steve did see however, gave him an inkling of hope.

Stabbed into a pedestal of sorts was a bright, shining sword, sun sparking of the crisp blade and purple hilt. It was beautiful, gorgeous even. More than that, however, it was a weapon, a weapon Steve so desperately needed if he was to face the cloaked man whenever he did show himself. 

In the back of his mind, however, a voice was screaming at him, telling him that this was a trap, that he needed to get out, get out of the grove, out of Faron Woods and into the village. A larger, greater part of Steve, however, a part that seemed almost supernatural, beckoned him towards the sword, begging him to grasp the hilt in his hand, to pull it out of the stone slab….

Slowly, as if in a trance, Steve stepped towards the blade, his feet taking slow, careful steps. Without thinking, he reached out, grasped the blazing purple handle, and pulled.

As the blade was yanked from the rock, Steve’s knees buckled, falling to the ground with a harsh scream. His body felt as if it was encased in fire, his limbs shrieking in agony, muscles seizing, sputtering, spazzing. His mind was screaming, screaming, screaming, screaming that he needed to find the man, find Bucky, save him, _save Bucky, save his friend--_

But he couldn’t, oh goddesses, his body weighed too much and he was too weak, oh so weak, always so weak--

Through the haze of pain that was his mind, he thought he heard a mad cackle, too close, too too close. But Steve was powerless, he couldn’t do anything but to lay there and accept his--

A flash.

A flash of bright, blinding light, and a haze of shimmering red and gold was the last thing that Steve saw before the pain took him, his body and mind falling unconscious.

\----

“...Are you sure? He doesn’t seem--”

“He’s _fine_ , Brucie, I just need you to take care of his friend. I can’t protect him at the castle, there’s too many--”

“Should you even be going--”

“--People, and yes, there’s no place safer for him right now. His friend was never the goal, he was just the bait, but now that the swords been drawn, he’s not after bait anymore.”

“You’re sure…?”

“Well….yes, as sure as I can be. Besides, I just can’t risk it. Without the Hero we’re all doomed, and my magic can only do so much.”

“Tony Stark, humble? I’d never thought I’d see the--”

“The day yes I know, it’s fucking hilarious, but if you’re all set with the boy…”

“Yes, you’re right, you need to leave. But please, be safe. He’s not worth more than you are. You know that.”

“....”

\-----

Steve awoke with a strangled gasp, immediately jerking upright. His breath was labored, his entire body sore from...from…

_Shit shit shit shit shit shit_

“Don’t worry,” came a voice from off to the side. “Your friend is fine. I’ve provided him with the best protection there is in Hyrule….well, besides myself, but that’s not really an option right now, so…”

Steve whipped his head around, eyes coming across a slender man with a white, glistening tunic hanging from his shoulders. It must’ve have been silk--Steve had never seen the cloth, but he knew how precious and fine it was--with gold thread trimming the hems of his sleeves. Hanging from the belt cinched around his waist was a deep red apron, embroidered with the symbol of the royal family--three golden triangles, with one stacked on top of the other two in a pyramid formation.

Oh.

_Oh_.

His brain was still oh so confused but this was the goddess damn _prince_ , and he was in the goddess damn castle, and he had no idea what was going on. But, his brain was not completely lost from him.

“Where’s Bucky?” he managed, his voice raw and thick in his throat. The prince seemed unruffled by the fact, if anything his wicked smile grew. 

“He’s fine, like I said. He’s in Kakariko, with some of my best guardsmen and personal friends.”

He blinked. If he’d managed to make if from the woods to Kakariko, then to Castletown, then…

“You’ve been out for awhile. Over a day.” The other man said, leaning forward his chair, arms crossed and resting on his knees. “It’s not...unexpected, considering what happened to you.”

“...What actually happened to me?” Steve remembered running after Bucky. The cloaked man on the horse. The sacred woods, the sword and then.... _pain_. And now he was somehow not dead, and instead in Hyrule Castle, making nice with the prince.

“Why don’t you look at yourself and see?” Prince Anthony sounded almost….amused as he said it, lips pursed, as if he was trying to keep himself from laughing.

Frowning, Steve looked down at himself and--

Shit.

So that’s why everything felt so….different. Bigger. Taller.

“Farore, Nayru and Din,” Steve breathed, and he supposed it was appropriate to thank the goddesses for this, since there was no one else who could’ve given him such a gift. 

Or, at least he hoped it really _was_ a gift.

Where had once been thin, scrawny limbs were now thick, strong arms and legs, complete with rippling muscle that couldn’t even compare to the likes of Bucky. He could feel it, too, how much broader he was. How much taller he was. 

With wide eyes, he looked up towards the prince, who seemed so unfazed. Perhaps he hadn’t seen Steve before….this?

But if so, who had saved him? He knew he heard the man on the horse laughing, ready to strike. And then…

And then…?

“Was it you?” Steve blurted, blinking. “Was it you who saved me from--”

“From Loki? Who else would it have been?” The man stood up, still grinning as he began to pace around Steve’s spot on the ground. “I have to say, you had me worried there, for a minute. A boy of your size, supposedly the Hero of Time? The Hero of Legend? I’m glad that sword did what it did, or else I’d be afraid that you wouldn’t be able to swing a sword properly.”

Again, Steve blinked. He looked down again at his new body, and while he supposed he should’ve taken offence from the man’s comments, he was right. Steve had managed to lift the sword, but had he fought the man who had taken Bucky, he surely would have lost.  
Still. He had to try. 

“That sword will do you good, but it’s not like you can go up against Loki without a proper shield. Unfortunately for you, my rat bastard father managed to--”

The prince’s voice faded out as soon as the phrase _go up against Loki_ uttered from his mouth, because, fuck, Bucky had been taken, Steve had found some magic sword in the middle of the freaking woods and now he was all... _big_ , but some things were too far fetched for him to handle.

“Wait, what? Me? You want me to go up against that...man?!”

Tony quirked his head, confusing in his eyes. “Well….yes? You are the Hero of Legend, are you not?”

“No, I’m not!”

Tony threw his head back, a rich laughter erupting from his mouth. “Right, and I’m a fucking dodongo.”

Steve had no idea what that was, but he didn’t stop to ask. “Prince Anthony--”

“Tony.”

Steve frowned. “My name is Steve, actually, but--”

The prince snorted. “No, I mean call me Tony, no need for formalities.” 

Steve’s frown deepened; considering he himself was just a farmer boy from Ordon, he felt there very much was a need for formalities when you’re conversing with a prince you’ve known for all of ten minutes, but he decided to play along. “Okay, Tony, when you said that... _I_ was the Hero of Legend, I thought you were joking. I don’t know what happened, what’s going on, or why that sword decided to do this to my body, but I really do think you have the wrong person.”

The other man’s face didn’t waver. “No, I don’t.”

Steve blanched. “I’m not some goddess-damned hero, I’m just a kid from Ordon.”

Tony chucked, striding closer to him, his leather boots padding along the marble floors. “Go pick up the sword, Steve.” He pointed towards a clothed table on the other side of...what Steve now supposed was someone’s bedroom, judging by the immaculate bed towards the other side of the table that he’d failed to notice in his earlier shock.

Eying the prince warily, he stepped over towards the table, hand hovering over the hilt.

“When you do,” Tony stated, just before Steve grabbed the thing, “look at your hand as you hold it.” 

Steve gulped, nodded, and grasped the purple handle, staring at his hand. What he saw, however, nearly made him drop it.

For a brief moment, the symbol of the royal family, the mythical insignia of the Hero of Time, the _Triforce_ , lit up on his hand, emitting a pure, golden glow--then dissipating, leaving his hand as blank as it was before. 

Steve whipped around, meeting Tony’s smirking expression. “Would I lie to you?”

Steve couldn’t muster a response, just gently placed the sword back on the table, and perched himself on the bed adjacent to it. “I don’t...this doesn’t make any sense.”

Tony shrugged, and Steve would’ve been mad at him, for being so careless about the whole situation, if he wasn’t so consumed in his disbelief. “Yes, well, that makes sense, if you hadn’t been raised with the goddamn power inside you. I assume the goddesses were trying to protect you, no one would go after a poor scrawny villager, or suspect that he would be the Hero of Legend, but stranger things have happened. Really, I don’t know for sure _how_ Loki figured it out, but the Triforce is tricky, and Loki himself trickier than most. I, of course, have been under the protection of Hyrule’s finest for all my life, no need to worry there...generally speaking. If only my father hadn’t been a lying--”

It took Steve a minute to come to and realize that Tony was actually talking, talking to him, and he had no idea what was going on. “Tony--”

“--sack of shit, the bastard, had to go and ruin everything. After years and years, I’d finally managed to create a shield strong enough to repel Loki’s magic, but the fucker had to go take the damned thing for himself, and I’m just a--”

“Tony, please--”

“--prince, I couldn’t stop him, so he took it, and when he fucking fled like the damned coward he is, he took the thing but he’s such a bloody idiot that he managed to--”

“ _Tony_ , I--”

“--get the fucking thing _stolen_ , and if Rhodey knows what in Nayru’s name he’s talking about, it was taken by the Gerudo, and now I have to go to the fucking desert and retrieve it. Or steal it...no, not stealing, it was stolen from me twice, so me taking it back shouldn’t count as stealing.”

Finally, Tony paused, turning toward him with a wicked grin. Steve’s mouth was gaping, in too much shock and confusion to so much as close his jaw. “Or, I should say, _we_ need to go retrieve it.”

What. “ _What_?”

The prince clapped his hands twice, striding towards the door. “Come. Grab the sword, I’ll find you a sheath. The longer we wait, the deeper shit we’re both going to be in.”

He paused at the door way, looking back over his shoulder at Steve. “You coming or not? Without that shield, you don’t stand a chance, even with those gorgeous arms.”

Steve ignored the quip, shook off his reddening cheeks, and followed after the man with an exasperated sigh.

**Author's Note:**

> -A dodongo is a lizard monster creature thing  
> -Nayru, Farore, and Din are the goddesses of the world this is set in, that being Hyrule
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading! I now have 3 WIPs going though oops...
> 
> Let me know if there's too much Zelda lore, I really don't want background knowledge needed to understand this fic. Kudos and comments are always appreciated!!
> 
> [My tumblr](http://tony-stark-has-a-heart.tumblr.com/)


End file.
